Doctors have long known that two people with the same type of colorectal cancer can have very different outcomes.
Some patients respond well to treatment and live for many years, while others develop aggressive disease that spreads rapidly. A new international study may finally explain one important reason for this difference.
Scientists from VIB and KU Leuven have discovered that fatty liver disease can create conditions that help colorectal cancer grow more aggressively after it spreads to the liver. Their research was published in Nature and could eventually help doctors choose better treatments for individual patients.
Colorectal cancer affects the colon and rectum. It is now one of the most common cancers worldwide and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults. Around half of patients eventually develop liver metastases. These secondary tumors are often the biggest reason why treatment becomes difficult.
The researchers noticed that liver metastases do not all grow in the same way. Some remain surrounded by healthy tissue, making them easier to treat. Others spread directly into normal liver tissue, making surgery and other treatments less successful. Patients with this second pattern usually have much lower survival rates.
To understand why this happens, the scientists examined patient samples and carried out detailed laboratory experiments. They found a strong link between fatty liver disease and the aggressive form of liver metastasis.
Fatty liver develops when excess fat collects inside liver cells. It is becoming increasingly common around the world because more people are living with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. Many people never realize they have fatty liver because it often causes no symptoms.
The study found that extra fat changes the chemical environment inside the liver. Fatty acids help activate a cancer-promoting protein called MYC. This protein encourages cancer cells to produce more proline, which is needed to build collagen. Collagen acts like a scaffold that supports the invading cancer cells, allowing them to move deeper into healthy liver tissue and continue growing.
The researchers also discovered that blocking different parts of this pathway dramatically reduced aggressive tumor growth in advanced experimental models. Medicines that block MYC are already under development, and the new findings suggest these drugs may work particularly well in patients with fatty liver disease.
Another important finding is that liver fat itself could become a useful biomarker. Instead of giving the same treatment to everyone, doctors may eventually use liver scans or other tests to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from specific therapies. This could make clinical trials more successful and reduce unnecessary treatments.
Although these results are exciting, they should be interpreted carefully. The treatment approach has not yet been proven in patients. Additional clinical studies are needed before doctors can recommend these new strategies.
Nevertheless, the research provides an important new direction for cancer medicine and highlights the close connection between metabolism and cancer progression.
If you care about liver health, please read studies that refined fiber is link to liver cancer, and the best and worst foods for liver health.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to boost your liver naturally, and simple ways to detox your liver.
Source: VIB and KU Leuven.
